Fire in the Hazelwood coal mine

But the fire is expected to continue for another fortnight and the money would only cover a couple of days' accommodation out of town. ''I'd be happy to put a tent up on the side of the road just for fresh air, just to breathe fresh air,'' she said.

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Her family all live in Morwell. ''They're all in the same boat,'' she said.

Ms Riess said she was also unable to leave because her son's school, Morwell Park, was one of the last to remain open.

Ms Riess said she had not been approached by any government organisations and was receiving her information from commercial television and Facebook.

''We're just stuck and don't know what to do,'' she said.

''Where do we go?''

Simon Ellis, 38, lives with his seven-year-old daughter. He said there were children under the age of 10 in most houses on his street, and no families had left town.

''The cost of relocating would be too much, it would cost too much, with school and work and businesses,'' he said. ''It's not as easy as just saying, 'Get up and go'.'' He owns an event-hire and has not had a job in 18 days.

''There's no income coming in and I'm a single parent,'' he said.

He attended the health assessment office and was told to see his GP because he had high blood pressure and asthma.

Despite assurances, Mr Ellis, like many others in Morwell, does not believe the air quality levels are safe.

''There's too much contradiction on what's being said,'' he said. ''They say they don't want to scare people, but by not saying anything they're scaring people.''